A Government review is suggesting the number of heart transplant centres nationally should be reduced from seven to four, following a drop in organ donors.

NHS officials want to make sure centres carry out enough operations to retain the level of expertise among surgeons.

Patients in the Midlands are worried because the unit at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital could be one of those to shut, forcing people to travel hundreds of miles to alternative centres as far as Manchester.

Mr O'Reilly, who received a transplant five years ago after being diagnosed with a serious heart condition, said: "The response has been amazing, I'm actually very surprised. I don't think Allan or I expected to get so many names so soon.

"We started the petition at the beginning of the month and the support is coming from everywhere.

"I have dropped copies around the working men's clubs in the city and have still to collect those so I'm hoping there will be a lot of signatures still to come."

Mr O'Reilly said it was vital to protect the Birmingham unit so people in Coventry and Warwickshire had access to the best care without long, exhausting journeys.